Table of Contents
Is mumps caused by a virus or bacteria?
Mumps is a contagious disease that is caused by a virus. It typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite.
What bacteria is mumps caused by?
Mumps is a viral illness caused by a paramyxovirus, a member of the Rubulavirus family.
Which salivary glands are infected in mumps?
It can infect many parts of the body, but is best known for causing swelling of the parotid glands. These glands, which make saliva (spit), are in front of the ear, around the jaw. Mumps used to be a common childhood illness in the United States, especially in kids 5 to 9 years old.
How is mumps caused?
Mumps is an airborne virus and can be spread by: an infected person coughing or sneezing and releasing tiny droplets of contaminated saliva, which can then be breathed in by another person.
What is the mumps virus called?
The mumps are caused by a virus called the paramyxovirus. It’s spread from one child to another through direct contact with discharge from the nose and throat.
How does mumps affect the salivary glands?
Mumps is characterized by swollen, painful salivary glands in the face, causing the cheeks to puff out. Some people infected with the mumps virus have either no signs or symptoms or very mild ones. When signs and symptoms do develop, they usually appear about two to three weeks after exposure to the virus.
Is Smallpox a bacterial disease?
Smallpox is caused by infection with the variola virus. The virus can be transmitted: Directly from person to person. Direct transmission of the virus requires fairly prolonged face-to-face contact.
Can mumps cause ear infection?
Those whose hearing is affected as a result of mumps are usually diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss affecting the inner ear. It is almost always single-sided (confined to one ear) and often permanent. Once the hair cells in the cochlea have been destroyed, they can’t be repaired and won’t regenerate.
What are symptoms of mumps in adults?
The following are the most common symptoms of mumps that may be seen in both adults and children:
- Discomfort in the salivary glands (in the front of the neck) or the parotid glands (immediately in front of the ears).
- Difficulty chewing.
- Pain and tenderness of the testicles.
- Fever.
- Headache.
- Muscle aches.
- Tiredness.